Connacht boss warns of Ospreys threat

19 February 2009 10:07am

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Connacht have announced a 25 man squad ahead of their Magners League clash with the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday (kick off: 2.15pm) and coach Micheal Bradley has warned that the EDF Energy Cup champions will be no pushover as they push for Magners League success.

Back row forward Michael McCarthy has been ruled out of the clash, having suffered a broken bone in his foot during training this week and is expected to be out for up to ten weeks.

Daniel Riordan, Conor Muldoon, David Gannon and Mel Deane have all been called up since Connacht beat Dax last time out in January but Director of Rugby, Michael Bradley is still wary of the threat posed by the Welsh side.

"They've a lot of strength in depth and despite missing some players with the Six Nations underway they'll still be able to field a very strong side," he said. "We've two matches during the Six Nations against the Ospreys and Cardiff and know that we'll be facing some depleted sides and with that it mind it's an opportunity for us to get some championship points.

"They're currently lying in second in the table and they've shown some fine form in the Heineken Cup too which has got them to the quarter finals so we know we'll have a very tough game come Sunday.

Actor and Millennium Stadium Tour Guide Gareth Bale has been performing his one-man play about Wales rugby legend Ray Gravell across Wales. He chats to WRU TV before taking his show to the Edinburgh Festival.

After widespread consultation, the WRU has made major changes to its pathway programme for girls rugby with a spring and summer season being introduced with immediate effect in order to respond to a clear demand to play the game.

Martyn Phillips addresses the press after being unveiled as the Welsh Rugby Union's new group chief executive. Phillips, who is originally from Fishguard, will work alongside WRU Chairman Gareth Davies, to lead and manage the strategic and operational development and evolution of the governing body at a time of rapid change within the game and will take up his new role at the WRU in the autumn.

The Webb Ellis Cup visited Lampeter on Monday to recognise the fact that the town is celebrating a major milestone as it is believed the first ever game of rugby played in Wales, was in fact played in Lampeter 150 years ago.